The End of Joni Matthews
by little.ashyangel
Summary: One moment the sky is filled with fire that rains down upon her, the next she feels nothing. With Joni's family surely dead, she must now struggle with language barriers, distrust, and you know surviving that crazy ninja-filled world. Kakashi/OC
1. Chapter 1

**So, here's what's gonna go down from now on. Every week - or two to give myself wiggle room- y'all are gonna vote on the story that you want to be updated next. I'll post the first chapter of each, and you can go from there!**

**diclaimer: I only own my OCs thank you**

**Chapter 1-The world is ending**

The World was ending. It had been for a very long time now. Joni Indigo Matthews, a twenty year old woman, had been living at home. After all, the only way to survive this world had been to stick with your family. To trust very, very few.

Living in Rural Tennessee had been easy. The sun- though now more deadly because of the insufficient protection from the atmosphere- beat down on the ground at high temperatures. But never the less, Earth's life had slowly adapted. Joni looked down at her legs. Surprisingly, she could still remember, around twelve years ago, when her legs had been a pale white color instead of the now permanent tan-glow.

Joni loved few things in life, Archery, Drawing, and Reading were part of the few. Her grandmother and parents were the next. Especially her grandmother, the woman used to tell Joni all types of stories. Sad ones, happy ones. Joni even knew some of them by heart- or at least most of one. The one about ninja's in a world that could easily have been this one if things had been a bit different.

Joni's grandmother had shown her the illustrated books that she had kept since her childhood. She showed Joni the characters once, told Joni their names, and then locked them away. Forever.

Books. Especially illustrated ones. Were now illegal. The government gave shelter, food and water to its people, and because of that the people were expected to follow the rules.

But now, Joni's grandmother was dying. It was her time... She had lived over ninety years an now it was time for her to go.

"Ms. Indigo," The nurse said quietly to Joni's grandmother,"Would you like anything else?"

"Nope," came the somehow energetic reply for a dying woman,"I'm good sugar! Thanks!"

The nurse shook her head sadly and left.

That's when Joni's grandmother turned to her kids an grandkids,"Now don't forget about everything I've taught you."

"Mom," Joni's Mother- Sakura- stated with a smile,"This was just a routine surgery. You act a if you were on-"

That's when it happened, Joni's grandmother smiled one last time at Joni, and then closed her eyes and her heart stopped.

The next seconds were crazy. Hospital staff ran in and Joni's Dad had to pull her out of the hospital room, she was screaming for her grandmother. Ten minutes later a nurse came to them in tears, saying that Joni's grandmother had died due to unforeseeable complications in her surgery that had lead to heart failure.

No one had expected it.

Joni looked out of the window and she saw fire raining down from the sky.

The world was ending. And it had come in fire.

Joni ran out of the hospital. Her parents had tried to stay with her -as they had decided to head home to get to a disaster room that would had supported them for months-But her parents had gotten separated from her in the chaos of The End.

She was the first one home. They only lived a few miles away from the small rural hospital. She looked out on the world, most of everything had started to be engulfed in flames. Her house sat in a valley near a small stream, the fire hadn't reached the home yet. She unlocked the door and headed for her room.

Her parents came in behind her,"Joni," her mother screamed,"Get into the saferoom! The fire is almost here!"

Joni nearly tripped, the fire must be moving extremely fast. She grabbed a few things from her room quickly stuffed them into her already prepacked bag - something her grandmother had told her to do a week ago. She had just done it to humor the old woman... But now...

She ran towards the basement, bust stopped at the door to her Grandmother's room. On the spur of the moment, she pushed the door open.

"Joni," Her father yelled,"Hurry! Now!"

She heard a large crash and the whole house shook,"JONI," her mother screeched. Fire. Fire had hit the house. Joni HAD to get them.

She ran to the closet and threw open the door. Easily seeing the books that her grandmother had forgotten to hide with the fake-wall. She started to put them Ito her bag.

Joni turned and saw that smoke started to fill the upstairs. Joni heard her mother scream and her father yell,"Sakura!"

She ran back towards the door, dropping and knocking over a few of the books. Flames met her and filled the hallway and the stairs. She was trapped.

She ran back and grabbed the rest of the books before she braved the flames. She could feel the flames burn her as she did her best to avoid them. She felt tears trickle out of her eyes and the smoke burned her lungs. She made it to the stairs but as she went down them- the stairs collapsed. She screamed as she fell into a closet that was below the stairs.

Joni kicked the door open and slowly and painfully made her way to the basement door. She couldn't hear her parents and only hoped that they had made it to the saferoom already.

That's when the beam from the ceiling fell on her, kicking her bag off of her arm and knocking one of the books out of the bag.

Now Joni was really trapped, she couldn't even move an inch,"HELP! Mom? Dad," she screamed and screamed as the wood and plaster on top of her started to get hotter and hotter.

No answer came and Joni started to cry. She spotted the book and reached for it. She gave a small smile when her hand touched the smoldering cover.

That was the last thing she saw before blacking out. She read the cover one more time.

Naruto. Volume 4, The Hero's Bridge.

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	2. Chapter 2

**MERRY LATE CHRISTMAS, this is my late christmas gift to you all!**

**Disclaimer: are these really needed nowadays?**

_Thoughts/Sign language_

_**"Naruto language"**_

_"_Joni Language"

**Chapter- Barriers, more than one kind.**

"Grandma," Joni gasped as she leaned up so fast it made she head spin. She felt down her skin, no burns, no scratches. That when she noticed that she was in a forest? A freaking huge one too! She glanced over and grabbed her bag. She peeked in, the books were gone, but everything else seemed to be there.

"Okay," Joni leaned back and took in a huge breath,"Where the hell am I? What happened to me? Where is anyone? And Was that a dream?" She smiled, _There, as soon as I find the answer to these questions, I should be good for a little bit. At least until then I won't worry about anything else.  
_  
She stood up with her backpack, briefly wondering what had made it with her. But she started walking.

It was colder then it had been at home and she shivered as a breeze picked up. Joni hoped she had manage to pack some sort of warmer clothing. Most of it had been when she was younger and things still got cold. But now... She only really wore shorts. She looked down at her jean shorts with white lace sewn onto the front and her black tank top in contempt. She walked through the first half a a small clreaing, she could see the tops of maybe a small mountain.

"These trees are just so damn tall," Joni mumbled pausing and looking up at the top of the mountain,"So, I'm definitely NOT in Tennessee.."

She took another step forward, and a strangely shaped knife landed an inch away from her Converse-wearing foot. Joni yelled and jumped back and a voice called out to her.

In another language.

Or rather a mix of languages, she could hear the Spanish and Italian. Maybe a bit of Japanese, maybe a bit of German. She couldn't tell for sure.

Joni hugged herself and glanced around trying to pin point the voice on her right side, because she hadn't seen where exactly the knife had been thrown from.

She heard a thump behind her and turned to see a man in some kind of cat mask. She screamed, and turned to run, only to be blocked by more people in masks, some men, some women. She let out a shriek, and was hit from behind.

Joni groaned and opened her eyes. She was laying on a simple cot in a white room. She sat up, and felt the pain in the back of her skull. She reached to grab it, but found that her right hand had been cuffed to the side of the cot. She looked around, the room was plain. Nothing in it but the cot, the door was suddenly and harshly opened, making it crash against the wall and making Joni jump.

There were three men and one woman, one man and woman each wore the masks like before, and one man had on a long black coat and a cloth over his head. The other was more elderly, and far more formally dressed, or at least Joni thought he was in his white and red robes.

Joni curled closer to herself and looked at them in apprehension. The older man spoke first, his voice was deep and sounded like a bear growling. He spoke his words with complete certainty and ease. Joni shot him back a blank look,"I guess you can't understand me like I don't understand you?"

The man in the coat let his mouth fall open with shock, Joni couldn't see the masked faces but their body language gave nothing away. The man who had spoken to her blinked on shock. Joni sighed, and chewed on her lip for a moment,"This is perfect," she muttered to herself.

Joni silently prayed that someone knew Sign Language, her Great Grandmother had been deaf, so her grandmother had taught her. Joni lifted her free hand and started signing,_Do you know this?_

She gasped when instantly the man in the cat mask jumped at her, he held a knife to her neck. Joni gulped and started to ask what, for what did I do wrong, and the knife was pressed closer. She made a small scared noise and the man in robes said something. The man in the mask jumped back with his knife. The man strode forward and inspected her mid-sign frozen hand. He let out a small bark of laughter**,**_**" I know this**__,_" he turned to his companions,"_**It is not a justu it is a language."**_

The man turned to Joni, and quickly signed to her as he spoke aloud,**_"I am the Third Hokage of the Village hidden in the leaves. What is your name?"_**

Joni spelled her name,"_J-o-n-i M-a-t-t-h-e-w-s. Joni Matthews."_

The Third repeated it back to her and she smiled and nodded,**_ "What happened to you/_**, the older man asked,**_"Where are you from."_**

Joni signed back,"Tennessee. All I remember was being trapped in a burning building and then waking up in that field."

The Third started at the mention of Tennessee, as if he knew it, he didn't speak as he quickly signed- I see, _Do not worry no harm will come to you. I will send someone to release you and help you. If you would please excuse me._

He turned,**_"_**I must speak to the ANBU captains. I fear I know much more about this girl. But I need to be sure."

They exited to the hallway, Joni calling for them to come back because she didn't want to be alone. They ignored her.

" Sir," the man in the cat mask asked in curiosity.

"Have one of the nurses from the upper levels of the hospital come down and release her and then take care of her. She'll be jumpy and there will be a language barrier. Let them know that."

"Yessir," the ANBU saluted and disappeared.

Joni, sat in the bed, and nervous sweat breaking along her brow, _He said the Village Hidden in the leaves_ she thought, _Like in... The books._

Joni looked up at the white ceiling as tears started to fall,"Oh, Grandma, I miss you so much!"

**please review/Vote!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey hey, so I'm gonna try to update all the stories at least once s month while updating one Radom story a week till it's finished or I get writers block or something. It's been my first official week of Summer Va-Cay, so please enjoy what I've done with it!**

**disclaimer: I only own part of this**

Chapter - Explanations

The people seemed to be nice to her. They were paranoid and cautious on who saw her and who took care of her while she got over the sever dehydration she received from being in the fire, her stomach reacting poorly to any food they gave her and crying so much.

Joni didn't really talk to anyone. The nice old man who had seemed to be the leader did come visit now and again. Joni came to know him as the Hokage, or The Third as some called him, but she rarely addressed him I fear of botching it up, besides, he was the only one that knew how to communicate with her so she didn't have to learn any other names.

One day, The Third decided he'd get answers in a small way. He sat in a chair across from her and signed,"Would you mind looking at a photo?"

Joni shook her head, and he pulled out a small Polaroid looking photo. He handed it out to Joni, who took it with her shaking fingers. She looked at the two faces in the picture: the old man- much, much younger- and the smiling face of a much, much younger Ten, Joni's grandmother. Joni's eyes widened and stood up with a sharp cry of,"_Grandma!"_

The Third smiled and nodded, and started signing, _This woman was in a similar predicament as you. You know her?_

Joni sat and signed as quick as she could, _She's my grandmother._

The Third took that into account, his face not loosing it's comforting friendliness but was a bit saddened, _I_ _see. Thank you Joni._

He stood and left. Joni fidgeted for a moment, then started to pick at the flowers that one of the nurses had brought down to her, there were three in a plain white vase, and each was a little white carnation.

About an hour later, several footfalls came down the stairs, Joni stood and backed away from the door, and the Third entered, one ANBU and another man, he had black spiked hair in a ponytail, a cigarette in his mouth and two scars on one side of his face. The Third told me, _This is Sikaku Nara, one of our Commanders. I'm entrusting you into his care, He shall help teach you our language as well as learn yours._

Joni nodded and looked back over at Sikaku, for some reason this seemed like it would be a challenge.

And now Joni had to deal with Grandma being here. But she wasn't anymore, this was so confusing for Joni and no one seemed to have any answers for her. _I just wished I could get a little help_. Joni though as she picked up her backpack and followed her new prison guard.

**please review and thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I'm so sorry it's been so long! I was in London and then a family reunion and then it was the Fourth so... What can you do? I'll also be posting this month to, and thank you all for reviewing and favoriting and following!**

**Disclaimer: plenty to choose from in previous chapters**

**Chapter - Alphabet**

Joni followed Shikaku like a puppy, or at least she felt like a puppy, with him constantly nagging her keep up with him as she tried to view her surroundings. She could tell each time she slowed down that he would get annoyed and pulled her forward to walk faster. Soon, she was doing it just to be spiteful and annoying because Shikaku made he a grey with his attitude towards her.

He stopped at a gateway that lead into what appeared to be apartments. He motioned for Joni to walk forward and she did. The complex maybe had three stories to it, it was a boating white building and each apartment had a boating green door in front of it. There were two rows of apartments on each floor, separated by a long covered hallway. Joni sighed and Shikaku led her to the stairs, she was on the top floor it seemed and he led her to the line of apartments that were on the inside of the building. Also making it harder for to escape due to the better chance of someone spotting her.

Shikaku took her to the apartment and opened the door. Joni followed him in. She sat her bag down near the couch and went to explore the apartment. She found her bedroom, it had a very expensive looking lilac comforter thrown on it. The room had obviously been aired out but many things still had a thick layer of dust.

As she explored the room, she found a closet -filled with female clothes- and a small desk in the corner of the room. She approached it to see different sets of picture frames. Their pictures were obscured by the dust.

Joni grabbed the closet one to her and rid it of the dust. Joni gasped in shock when she saw a much younger looking Third, her Grandmother that looked to be about her age, and three younger children, a girl with blonde hair, a boy with spikes white hair and a pale skinned boy with long black hair. She slowly picked up the other photos. It was her slightly older grandmother and a red headed young woman and a spiky blond headed young man. There were other pictures on the desk as well, but they were less enticing.

Joni set them back down as she crept back down the hallway. Shikaku was waiting for her and handed her a folded piece of paper. She opened it to reveal butchered English. It was so bad that she could hardly make it out. But she managed to get the gist of it after a few moments. It was basically telling her that Shikaku had some things she was to go over for her lessons. Shikaku would return in about four hours with her diner, but she was to remain within her apartment. She nodded and looked up at Shikaku expectantly, he handed her a package which was weighted down with multiple items that were small and heavy. Joni opened the package and sat at the table and she pulled out multiple flash card and a large sheet of paper with multiple writings on it. It resembled some sort of alphabet.

Joni looked up to Shikaku who motioned a goodbye before leaving. Locking the door behind him, and it was impossible to unlock the door without a key.

Joni leaned down onto her hands in frustration,"THIS SUCKS!"

She glanced at the alphabet, and she was certain that most of the letters were Japanese, but as she looked at the letters seperatly she found that the pronunciation of he letters could be a different language, French, Dutch-a few English, thank god!- and many, many more.

_here we go_. she thought.

Shikaku returned no later than four hours later with a bag of take out ramen for the girl. He had to explain to his wife his orders and boy was she pissed at him. She nagged and nagged about the whole thing, but both of them knew that he was probably the best one for this task, his son a close second behind him.

He wanted to keep this first check-in short and sweet so he could get home. He hoped that the girl was still working on the beginners lessons that most toddlers used to learn basic language like the alphabet. Shikaku made it to the door and unlocked the door, when he threw the door open, he felt like something was wrong. It was too quiet for his liking. Shikaku set the food down as quietly as he could before he crept around the house. His first stop was the living room. He saw that the couch had been used for a little while, and the girl's bag had been disturbed and moved onto the couch. He walked down the hallway that led to the bedroom and opened the door. No sign of like he walked back into the living room and went into the kitchen. No one was there either but the light was on in the dining room. He stopped in the door way and saw the girl with her top half laying on the table as she slept. She had fallen asleep next to the large alphabet sheet and the flashcards. Shikaku gazed at the large sheet and saw multiple scribbles onto the paper around each letter and the flashcards looked well-worn for the four hours he had been gone. Shikaku went back to get the food and opened the door to slam it shut. He heard the girl wake up with a start,"/I'm back/" he called out.

The girl got up to greet him at the door, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She stumbled into his view and she greeted and shock him by spelling out,"H-E-L-L-O Shikaku. W-h-a-t d-i-d u b-r-i-n-g m-e?"

Shikaku nearly dropped the bag of food in surprise. Did she really just learn the alphabet in four hours?

**Thank you for reading, please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**SO sorry this is so late, I also will have about 5 more chapters in different stories tomorrow so if you don't see it don't worry! Thanks for the reviews!**

**disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Chapter- A Monthly Issue**

Joni kept Shikaku on his toes. Actually, she kept everyone on their toes because from time to time Shikaku was needed elsewhere and other Jonin were called in to watch her. They usually just sat in the living room or by the door but Joni usually forced them to help her with her lessons, like now. She sat across from Choza Akimichi, one of her more willing teachers. Mr. Akimichi has to be the favorite of all those that came to guard her, his warmness and patience made her feel more at ease. They were currently working with more advanced flashcards. It had only been a week but Joni could now speak about as well as a young elementary student but needed to learn more words before she's be able to read it. She used picture flashcards and Mr. Akimichi held one up to her.

She thought for a moment,"Bathroom," it was a picture of a toilet, and Mr. Akimichi shook his head and pointed at the picture. Joni racked her brain trying to remember the word before finally saying,"Toilet," but to her the word was in Chinese. She was slowly growing accustomed to translations faster and faster but it would still take time.

Mr. Akimichi nodded with a smile and went to the next one,"Shinobi."

Another nod, and another card,"Kunia?"

"Good," Mr. Akimichi praised and a timer went off. Joni sighed, they studied in thirty minute sessions with five minutes to break.

Joni stood with a friendly smile,"Drink?"

Mr. Akimichi,"Yes please. Water."

Joni trotted to the kitchen and grabbed two glasses of water as well as a bag of chips for Mr. Akimichi. She trotted back in and set the tray down. Mr. Akimichi was very please that she had been considerate enough for the food,"Thank you very much Joni," he said opening the bag and munching on its continents with delight.

That's when a lighting fast pain struck right below Joni's abdomen. She quickly put her hand to the spot before rushing off to the bathroom, Mr. Akimichi's concerned gaze following after her. Joni cursed when she saw the blood, and quickly wrapped toilet paper around her underwear and then pulling her pants back up before desperately searching the bathroom for any form of pads or tampons, or something remotely related. She felt like crying when she came up empty. At least she was with Mr. Akimichi, he'd probably be the best to bother with this.

Joni grudgingly trudged back down the stairs and grabbed her pin and paper. For something this complicated she'd have to revert back to her older methods of communication. Mr. Akimichi looked at her expectantly as she entered the room, scribbling onto the pad of paper. She thought for a moment before writing, trying to put this as delicately as she could. Joni remembered how many guys got extremely uncomfortable when girls brought the subject up or even mentioned anything about periods.

Finally she handed him the pad, her face turning slightly Crimson as he read the page, each spelled out word getting its own line to keep it simple for the extreme use of characters. Mr. Akimichi nodded as he studied the page before understanding dawned on his face,"ah, I see," he murmured.

He gave Joni a smile and Joni relaxed a little. Mr. Akimichi stood and maneuvered around the house speaking or spelling as he did,"We'll have to go into the m-a-r-k-e-t-market. P-e-r-h-a-p-s- Perhaps- Kurenai will be t-h-e-r-e- there. She m-i-g-h-t h-e-l-p - might help."

Joni was just happy to finally be out of the apartment. She wasn't allowed to go out so she'd sit by her window and watched everyone when she got a chance. She was only allowed to open a crack. But it didn't bother her that much. She was used to staying inside for a long time. But the chance to go outside made her extremely happy.

She bounced up and down in anticipation as Mr. Akimichi unlocked the door and lead her out of the building. Joni could have skipped but she didn't, she wasn't _that_ childish. She took in as much as she could as she walked right next to Mr. Akimichi. There wasn't very many people out and about right now, which surprised her. She had expected the market to be bustling with people but only a few civilians were around. Mr. Akimichi seemed to find the person he was looking for and called out,"Excuse me, Kurenai!"

A woman turned back around from exiting a shop and looked at Mr. Akimichi and Joni. Mr. Akimichi waved to her and she walked over. Joni was awed at Kurenai's beauty, and her pretty black hair and her piercing red eyes. Her outfit was pretty amazing too, Joni felt a bit envious, the cloths that had been in her closet had been pretty old styled compared to everything else. Mr. Akimichi quickly explained everything in a soft low voice and Kurenai quickly nodded before shepherding the blushing Joni towards a convenience store. Mr. Akimichi mentioned waiting outside.

She lead her down one of the aisles and stopped in front of similar packages to Joni's old home,"T-a-m-p-o-n-s, Tampons, or p-a-d-s, pads?"

Joni thought for a moment before saying,"Both?"

Kurenai thought for a moment before grabbing a box of tampons and a plastic pouch of pads.

Once the transaction was done, Kurenai handed Joni the paper sack. They found Mr. Akimichi sitting on the bench they had left them. Joni turned to Kurenai and bowed her head slightly saying a shaky thank you,"T-Thank you, Miss Kurenai!"

Kurenai gave her a pretty smile,"You're welcome, Joni."

**Thank you for reading, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**sorry not sorry I missed yesterday, Baseball season and little bros and the like. If your story isn't updated today it will Froday. Thanks for the reviews!**

**disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Chapter- A game of fun**

Joni looked at the board that Mr. Akimichi had brought her the last time he had been guarding her. He said it was Shogi or something and it reminded her a lot of chess. Mr. Akimichi explained it to her. The knight _jumps_, that is, it passes _over_ any intervening piece, whether friend or foe, without an effect on either. It is the only piece to do this.

The lance, bishop, and rook are _ranging_ pieces: They can move any number of squares along a straight line limited only by intervening pieces and the edge of the board. If an opposing piece intervenes, it may be captured by removing it from the board and replacing it with the moving piece. If a friendly piece intervenes, the moving piece must stop short of that square; if the friendly piece is adjacent, the moving piece may not move in that direction at all.

All pieces but the knight move either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. These directions cannot be combined in a single move; one direction must be chosen.

Once Joni understood each piece, it's symbol and how it moved, she learned the symbols for any promoted piece. A player's _promotion zone_ consists of the furthest one-third of the board – the three ranks occupied by the opponent's pieces at setup. The zone is typically delineated on shogi boards by two inscribed dots. Which Joni could see on Mr. Akimichi's board.

When a piece is moved, if part of the piece's path lies within the promotion zone (that is, if the piece moves into, out of, or wholly within the zone; but _not_ if it is dropped into the zone,) then the player has the option to promote the piece at the end of the turn. Promotion is indicated by turning the piece over after it moves, revealing the character of the promoted piece.

Mr. Akimichi held the pawn and knight pieces in his hand,"If a pawn or lance is moved to the furthest rank, or a knight is moved to either of the two furthest ranks, that piece _must_ promote," he flipped over the piece to reveal their other characters.

"A silver general is never required to promote, and it is often advantageous to keep a silver general unpromoted."

"It easier," Joni agreed," to extract an u-n-p-r-o-m-o-t-e-d silver from enemy; whereas a p-r-o-m-o-t-e-d silver, with only single line of... Of... Retreat, can be easily blocked."

Mr. Akimichi quickly corrected her language use and drilled her with the new words on a sheet of paper before continuing.

"Promoting a piece changes the way it moves,"The pieces promote as follow, A silver general, knight, lance, or pawn has its normal power of movement replaced by that of a gold general."

Joni nodded and jotted the notes down on a separate piece of paper,"A rook or bishop keeps its original movement and gains the power to move one square in any direction."

"like a king," Joni asked, cocking her head.

"Yes," Mr. Akimichi nodded," Like a king. For a promoted bishop, this means it is able to reach any square on the board, given enough moves."

Joni scribbled this down before asking,"Can king or a gold general p-p-promote," he confidence dwindled on the last word, but she forced it out and

Mr. Akimichi smiled but shook his head,"No, the King and Gold Generals do not not promote; nor can a piece that is already promoted."

Joni checked the rules she had written and held up the p-romoted side of a pawn,"When taken, does it stay promoted?"

Mr. Akimichi flipped the piece back over to the unprompted side,"If it is captured, a piece loses its promoted status. Otherwise promotion is permanent."

Mr. Akimichi quickly set up the board,"Shall we practice?"

Joni gulped,"Sure?"

Mr. Akimichi and Joni played until dinner, when Shikaku knocked on the door and only received a muffled,"Do come in," from Choza, he knew something might be up.

He walked in with a bag of take-out for his charge, and a kunai up his sleeve. The front room was empty and he continued into the living room, to find his friend and his charge playing Shogi. Joni slammed her piece down onto the board and excitedly cried,"Check!"

Choza grinned sheepishly and nodded, then admitted his defeat, and Joni immediately won. Shikaku smirked at his friend,"Alright, Choza, time to switch back. The Hogake needs to speak with you,"Joni gave Mr. Akimichi a goodbye hug, and took the bag from Shikaku and took it into the kitchen to eat.

Shikaku reset the board and by the time Joni came back he nodded at her,"Care to play a game with me?"

Joni smiled at sat across from him, he bowl of food set next to her. The coin change from the bag nestled safely in her pocket.

**Thank you for reading, please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm so sorry guys, I've been so busy with school and trying to get a job! Ive also given myself a cut off at eleven so that any story that isn't finished won't be posted on today.**

**I've written most of everything and plan to work on everything else tomorrow. So here's the monthly and weekly post combined and it might flow into tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed.**

_English_

**Chapter- The time has come**

**Several Days later**

Joni glanced up from her diner as a new ninja entered. Shikaku didn't seemed pleased or upset by his presence and the two talked in low voices to each other.

She glanced over him a couple of time as she ate. He had silver hair which seemed to be defying gravity. He had his headband tied over one eye, as well as similar clothing to Shikaku. The man glanced over at her and she avoided his gaze.

She finished her diner an stood to take the bowl to the sink,"Joni," Shikaku barked in a butchered- still-not-used-to-her-name way. Joni glanced up at him from the sink. Shikaku pointed to the man whose one visible eye crinkled up as he seemed to smile under his mask,"Meet Kakashi Hatake," Shikaku said the man's name slowly, and twice for Joni to repeat.

"Kakashi Hatake," Joni said slowly an then smiled,"It's a pleasure."

Kakashi nodded and muttered one thing to Shikaku. Who smirked and told her,"_He say You come long way, er, little time_"

"Thank you."

Shikaku excused themselves and Joni walked quietly to her room. Shikaku seemed distracted and she pressed her one dumpling she had saved from diner as well as some spare change that had happened to be in the bag.

She'd make her move tonight.

* * *

Shikaku sat in the living area with Kakashi as the spoke of Joni,"I am very surprised with her ability to learn our language."

Shikaku nodded,"I was to - at first and thought this was gonna be a total drag. BUT, she was able to pick up of a bunch of the words a lot faster then most. She learned the alphabet in four hours. I know she's around your age, but still that's impressive."

"Indeed," Kakashi agreed,"The Third told me to tell you that they have located the retired Ninja who speaks her language but they are currently hiding in the hills. ANBU is being sent out in the morning to find them."

Shikaku nodded,"Good. Hopefully they'll find them before Joni tries to run."

"Excuse me?"

Shikaku sighed,"Lately I've been noticing that every few times some of the change that they put in the bag for our food isn't in there. After Joni is done eating, I notice that bread or other foods that don't parish as quick are missing. She stocking up on food and money- not that she knows what's worth what- she's going to try and run."

"Are you positive about this? Why haven't you told the Third?"

Shikaku shrugged,"It's such a drag. I was kinda hoping I was just thinking things. That it was all in my head. But tonight she wasn't as fast as she usually is I guess, because I saw her slip a dumpling into a napkin and then into her pocket."

"She's also kinda growin on me. As annoying as it sounds, she actually could make a pretty good teacher- the way she was helping me help her."

Kakashi seemed to mull on this- when the apartment went quiet,"Is... Is it quiet in here to you?"

Shikaku and Kakashi both blinked at each other with wide eyes before they both sprinted towards Joni's room. Shikaku threw opened the door to reveal-

An empty room with the window wide open.

**thank you for reading, please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, Hello, and Merry Christmas, for the holidays, every story's getting twooooo chapters! I'm so sorry for disappearing, and I know I say that every post, but life you know, school, work, after school things. They have a way of making life hell.**

**Discalimer: I only own the OCs**

**Chapter- The End or getting out **

Shikaku cursed under his breath,"I'll go alert the Hogake. You're the better tracker Kakashi- you should try to pick up her trail."

Kakashi nodded and both moved in opposite directions. Kakashi to the window, Shikaku back down the hall. Kakashi glanced out the window,"Musta walked out here," he leaned out slightly," then she could have either gone up and over onto the other side, gone to the roof and then go down the stairs, or she slid down that gutter-pipe."

Kakashi went out onto the side of the roof and looked at his options. The signs pointed more towards the first or second option so he followed the trail.

* * *

Joni peeked out from her closet. Hearing and seeing nothing for the past five minutes. She walked out, repositioned her bag and headed for the front door.

She knew not to run or she'd attract attention towards herself. The village was bustling with activity, thankfully, due to it being a Friday evening. Joni managed to slink through the crowd, keeping to herself and not looking people in the eye so they wouldn't notice her.

Joni wasn't paying attention and she accidentally bumped into someone, unfortunately for her, they were a solid mass and didn't give, so Joni fell onto her butt.

"Naruto," a female voice scolded,"You _*something French, wait? Is that Somalian?WTF* you're going(?)!"_

Joni glanced up to see three teenagers standing before her. One girl with pink hair and red clothes, and two boys one with blonde hair in orange and the other black haired youth with navy clothes on.

Naruto- he blonde boy, whom she ran into- sheepishly smiled and offered her his hand to stand,"Sorry, my bad,"Joni took his hand and he helped her up,"You *_word that is assumed to be-alright*"_

Joni have him a smile,"I'm fine. Thank you, worry not," she cringed inwardly at her lack of vocabulary to make her sound weird. Then she skirted around the teens and pressed on.

They didn't stop her. The just kept walking.

* * *

Kakashi followed the trail to the other side of the roof and found that the tracks ended. He then summoned Pakkun. Who sniffed the area,"So, you want me to track a scent that's been here for two days?"

"What," Kakashi said a bit shocked,"Of course! I'm such an idiot," Kakashi kept cursing a he realized that the girl probably had been planning this in advance. _She's smarter than everyone makes her out to be._

"Pakkun," Kakashi ordered,"Follow me back into the room and then start tracking. We have ground to make up."

* * *

Joni made it to the gate. It was shut and locked tight, and had two visible guards at it. She glared at the gate in frustration, peeking around from a tree that was in a small cluster of trees near it. She saw one of the guards start to turn his head and immediately ducked back behind the tree. She dug through her backpack and found a small case of matches. With a smile she pulled one out,"Here we go."

The two guards sat silently at the gate, both on either side of a normal sized door near the middle of the gate. That's when a plume of smoke floated past them. One guard sniffed the air,"Hey, you smell that," he asked his friend.

"Yeah. Smells like fire."

They immediately left to investigate. Joni peered out from the bushes that sat at the edge of her previous hiding place. She shot forward and easily opened the unlocked door. She spun around and watched her back as she slowly backed out. No one saw her leave. No one was there. The door closed on her smirk.

**Thank you for reading, please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Christmas pt.2**

**Chapter- The run**

Kakashi wasn't too far behind when he saw the smoke and stopped to investigate. In a small patch of shrubbery near the gate, there wa a smoldered remains of a fire. An ANBU was standing there with two gate guards and several other Shanobi,"What happened," asked Pakkun at his side.

The ANBU member, Hawk, answered him,"Someone set a fire. But there's no need to worry. Whoever it was set a ring of stones around it so the fire wouldn't catch to the rest of the small shrubbery."

Pakkun and Kakashi both exchanged looks. It had to be the girl.

"Let's go."

Pakkun raced after the scent,"She got out the gate," he growled,"But she's not moving fast. Either she doesn't know how or she thinks she got away. We can easily catch up to her."

* * *

Joni jogged through the forest. She was hoping to find a smaller village, not one so big a this. Get some clothes, maybe make a quick buck or two selling her old clothes and then hightailing it somewhere far, far away. She cursed herself for taking the extra precaution of putting the stones tightly around the fire which had cost her valuable time. But, better they seek her only for escaping than for escaping AND burning their village down.

She kept her pace up, thankful that she was able to shed a few pounds. She hadn't gotten very far, when something big and heavy hit her back. Joni was sent sprawling forward, rolling in the dirt for several feet.

She groaned and sat up. A voice caused her to look up,"This is as far as you go," Kalashi, the man who had just met her, sat perched on a tree branch with one of those... knives in his hand. He also didn't look very happy. He'd pulled up his headband to reveal a red eye and a long, jagged scar on the same side of his face.

A pug sat a few feet away on the ground, obviously the thing that had tackled her. Joni ignored the pain- from small scratches and probably bruises that were now forming all over her body- and sat up, spun around and shot off like a rocket.

* * *

Kakashi leapt down to the ground when he saw her movements start to turn to fleeing. She shot forward, Kakshi released Pakkun and followed.

He easily caught up to her.

Kakashi grabbed her shoulder Joni screamed and started to turn to slap him, or punch him-he realized, due to the way her hand started to curl into a fist once it was on its last leg of its journey to his face- and moved to block.

That's when light erupted painfully in front of his eye,

Kakashi blinked and they were suddenly in the daylight and in a field. Kakashi turned to Joni,"no, no, no, no," she repeated at a mumble. He turned to see a shell of what had probably been a house. It was burned to the ground and the charred bits still smoldered in the homes foundation.

Joni stood tears forming in her eyes,"They're gone..."

Kakashi blinked in surprise,"I can understand you!"

Joni jumped obviously not expecting him to be there. She glanced around them, the earth had the ugly scaring of fire. The air was thin and dry, the woman licked her lips. She gazed back at the house,"The safe house is gone."

Kakashi looked back at the house,"What happened?"

"The End," Joni said solemnly, her tears silently falling, but her voice remained strong,"Fire fell from the sky. We never had a chance-"

A roar was heard overhead and Kakashi grabbed Joni, pushed her behind him and pulled out Kunai,"What the hell is that," Kakashi asked under his breath.

Joni scoffed and pushed him away from her as she wipped at her eyes,"It's just an airplane. No big deal."

That's when a big green, metal contraption- one of the likes that Kakashi had never seen before- broke through the clouds. Joni looked up at it with a smile and pointed to a star on the side of the 'airplane',"That's the symbol of my government. So it should be here to put the fires out-"

Kakashi watched as a compartment slid open. Joni frowned, no water was coming out, and the plane was over a grassy hill that hadn't been burned completely yet. She spotted a lone figure on the hill. Hope blossomed in her, No wait... That was..

"Father is still alive," she yelled with joy and made to run towards the person. But Kakashi grabbed her.

Just as the first sight of fire fell.

Joni gasped as fire started falling from the rescue plane. It crashed onto the earth,"No," Joni screamed, she collapsed and Kakashi held her up,"No! I don't understand!"

Joni watched in horror as her father turned towards her before the fire fell on him, he smiled warmly at his daughter before he was lost.

Kakashi saw she was crying again. He watched in shock as the fire blossomed across the landscape. Even towards them. It took seconds. They couldn't have run even if they had wanted to.

Joni turned into Kakashi at the last second and held onto him, burying her head into his shoulder and he watched in horror as he saw the flames reached them them- it swallowed them whole like a bright molten monster.

Kakashi and Joni screamed in pain as the fire burned them alive.

* * *

But then as it begun. It ended. The were standing in the clearing. Two feet apart. Kakashi checked himself over, and stood,/What was that? / Kakashi glanced down at the woman in silent horror,/Was it Genjustu?!/

Joni was sitting on her lower legs, mainly her weight had gone to her ankles which were facing out of her body. She was sobbing and curled closer to herself as she wrapped her arms around herself in a protective manner.

Kakashi glanced around for an enemy that might have used a genjustu. No one. He sighed and walked forward, he squatted down and placed his hand on Joni's shoulder making her jump. He tried his best to project a calm, easy-going attitude to calm her down and said with a masked smile,"Hey, now, don't worry. You're okay, you're safe."

Joni blundered out something in her language. Then, realizing that it was back to mostly guessing games, Kakashi sighed again.

Shortly after that, ANBU showed up. Kakashi explained what had happened; leaving out the possibility of the genjushu for when he reported to the Hokage. One ANBU operative, most likely Yugao Uzuki , picked Joni up by her arm,"Careful," Kakashi said gently,"She's not crying because she got caught. I must speak with the Third."

The other two ANBU members, Horse and Lizard, exchanged glances,"We'll take you to him," Lizard finally said. The three started in a different direction than Joni and Yugao**.**

**thank you for reading, please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Hello! Sorry this is late, I went and saw Finding Dory today! Very good movie, very good, if you're interested I say go see it.

I also don't have most of other chapters finished, so they'll be posted tomorrow! Forgive my lateness, as I also have seen Todrick Hall's Straight Outta OZ visual album and Good Lord it was amazing!

Link if you're interested (remove spaces): youtu. be/ O1YEYOTUxcg

Disclaimer:

Joni: *stares blatantly out of a window*

Me: So... Disclaimer

Joni: *still staring*

Me: please?

Joni: *whispers* Shush... In... Character

Me: Ugh. I only own Joni and any plot connecting to her.

**Chapter- The Genjustu isn't a Genjustu**

Joni was able to calm down after the female Ninja was manhandling her half-way through the village. She still kept her gaze on the ground and was very limp. The ninja in the cat-like mask, picked up on this and slacked her hold so she wouldn't give Joni a bruise. Joni still sniffled from time to time, and this lead Yugao to wonder, _What happened to you?_

* * *

Kakashi stood in front of the Third slowly and steadily concluding what exactly had happened,"And then we were back in the clearing."

"This is very interesting," The Third mumbled,"I don't believe it was a Genjustu, after all it effected the girl as well."

"Unless she was acting," Kakashi put in, thinking about possibilities.

The Third nodded,"Yes, but this reminds me of a mission back when I was younger. I would like to think on it. Tell Shikaku to go easy on her. We all would have done the same in her position, if not worse."

Kakashi bowed,"Yes Sir."

* * *

Shikaku seemed angry as he stared Joni, who sat emotionless and starring off into space. Her tears had long since disappeared, but they left their pathways to remind others that they had been there.

When Kakashi walked in, she didn't react. Just blinked an stared at the wall.

Kakashi sat next to Shikaku,"How long has she been like that?"

Shikaku glanced up from smoking a cigarette,"I showed up here five minutes after ANBU had dragged her home. I think she's in shock."

Kakashi sighed,"Shikaku, I just saw what she went through... It's not pretty. Basically everyone she knew is dead because they were burned alive by her government," Shikaku masked his horror particularly well," I also talked to the Third about what happened. He says that we should give her time, amp up security, and also, keep teaching her."

Shikaku nodded,"I see. Then that will work."

**A few days later...**

Joni was deep in her grief, and the others picked up on it. She was still placid, almost lifeless as she went along in her lessons. Shikaku noting how sluggish she was in her lessons, called for a small meeting with his fellow monitors.

Kakashi, Choza, Kurenai, and Shikaku sat in the Nara home, a small platter of cookies and cups of tea were set out before them. No one really touched them... Except Choza.

"I think you all know why I called you here,"Shikaku said, breaking the silence before he took a big drink from his tea cup.

Choza nodded, taking a moment in between bites to say,"Yes, Joni's mood is quite concerning."

"But what can we do," Kurenai asked lifting her hands up so she could rest her chin on her wrists,"It's not like she fully trusts us... She hasn't opened up, so we don't know how to cheer her up."

Shikaku shook his head, taking another sip. Kakashi hmmmed as the group sat quietly.

Kurenai cleared her throat,"Come to think of it, the only time I truly saw her excited or happy was when she and Choza were walking around the market."

Choza sweat dropped as Shikaku sent the larger man a glare,"You took her out of the house without authorization!?"

Choza held his hands up with an embarrassed look on his face as he stuttered, only Kurenai coming to his rescue,"It was an emergency of the female kind Nara, lay off."

The other men in the room immediately gawked, and looked down at their feet so fast trying to cover up their reactions with coughs, while Choza looked very sheepish.

"Moving on," Shikaku muttered as he held up his tea cup to his mouth.

Kurenai gave them a a pointed look as she continued,"Maybe someone should take her around the village. It'll have to be one of us though, seeing as though she'd be uncomfortable with anyone else."

The other three all glanced over at Kakashi,"Preferably someone who can track well in case she makes a break for it," Shikaku muttered.

Kakashi laughed and rubbed the back of his head, shaking his other hand at them,"Come on now, I've got my team, and-"

Kurenai smiled, almost smugly, if she could be capable of that emotion,"My team can always use some new sparring partners."

Kakashi frowned under his mask, looking around the table at his companions, finding no help he sighed,"Alright. Once it's cleared with the Hokage... I'll walk her around."

Kurenai smile brightened,"Perfect!"

Shikaku nodded in approval,"I'll ask him as soon as possible."

**thank you you for reading! I'll get the other story chapters out ASAP! Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Merry Christmas, as a present I've written a new chapter for EVERYBODY - and some NEW STORIES! Cause God help me, the new stories just keep coming and coming and I'm drowning...**

**Well, I have to say it guys, I've really sucked at sticking to my posting plan. But, my New Years resolution is that I'll stick to it. But I can only do ONE story at a time. So we're gonna have a little contest! There will be a poll on my page with all the sorry titles on it. But in also going to create a rule that each REVIEW, and only a REVIEW, (from a guest or not) will count as a vote for that story. You can follow and favorite to your hearts content, but it won't count. Thank you! Please review and vote! Will be open until the 9th of January.**

**Disclaimer:**

**Joni: They only own me! I swear, they can't afoord to pay you if you sue.**

**Chapter- Breaking the Chain**

Joni's punishment for running was light, now she had to have two guards instead of one, and one had to be with her at all times- even standing outside of the bathroom while she used it! But seeing as Kakashi had gives the Third a very detailed report of what had happened, no one really had the heart to go any harder on her. Two weeks passed, and Joni found herself alone. She wasn't naive, she knew there had to be... ANBU? Yes, ANBU members somewhere watching her just outside the apartment as all the Jonin on her case had their meeting to discuss... Well... Her.

Sometimes it worried Joni that they made such a fuss over her, but then she remembered that they were already getting a new message code from her... Or they might want any number of innovations that came from her world. But the Third still had one thing over her...

Joni was sitting on the couch with one of her books. It was the history of this world and while it was interesting with the Daimyo's and the court systems, not to mention the different villages. It astounded her that this was the same world fro her grandmother's tories. Joni almost swore that her grandmother's comforting scent surrounded her as she thought of her. That was the one thing the Third held over her- he knew why her grandmother had been in this world. The memories of her former life made her physically flinch, she had cried her tears and she refused to cry anymore. All she wanted to do now was to… to…

Joni didn't know what she wanted to do. Drifting from day to day as an emotionless felt pretty good right now. She'd keep doing that.

The memory of this world had disappeared once those books had disappeared. Bits and pieces would float up to the conscious part of her mind. But in all honest Joni liked not knowing the future, it made things… more fair in her mind. Any horrors that were -no doubt- going to happen Joni wanted to be right with those who hadn't seen it coming.

The door opened and Joni became much more interested in her book. Ohhh, there's a word she didn't really know, she quickly wrote it done to look up later. Strangely enough, the hardest language that Joni could seem to get was Italian. Not the Japanese, not the Chinese, or the Somalian, no, no it was the Italian!

It was only a single person judging by the footfalls. It seemed her double guard punishment was being lifted. It wasn't Mr. Akimichi or Kurenai- a pity really, they'd be much appreciated right now- but someone else. They stopped at the threshold of the living room andJoni still didn't look up. No, her eyes remained glued to her book.

"You know, it's rude to not acknowledge people."

Joni held in her snort and smirk, keeping her face as neutral as she could. She calmly closed the book and set it down in front of her onto the coffee table. Then she looked up, folding her hand in her lap,"Hello Mr. Hatake."

Kakashi held up a hand, his one eye closed and his body loose, with almost no tension in it what so ever,"Now, Now," he said in a friendly tone,"Kakashi will do. Mr. Hatake was my father."

"I see. Are you my ...guard ," Joni paused before saying the word she desperately searched for, pausing right after it to gauge his reaction if it was right before she continued," ...today?"

Kakashi nodded,"Yes, I am. How are you feeling today?"

Joni shrugged,"Meh." That sound was universal through-out any language.

Kakashi gave her look, which Joni was surprised he was able to even get across with only about a third of his face being visible,"You sure... You haven't exactly acting like yourself lately?"

Joni felt anger spark in her stomach,"What makes you think this isn't my normal behavior? You and your other friends have only known me for a good month and a half!"

There it was. Her anger during the part of the grieving process was out in the open. Kakashi had been prepared to have to try a lot harder to get to it with her, Choza and Kurenai had volunteered to go in first, but the Third- who wanted to know anything that had to deal with Joni- had been very adamant that Kakashi was the one to be tasked with not only the tour of the village, but with breaking this chain that Joni had settled into.

Looks like he was succeeding.

Joni's outburst even surprised herself. So much for being emotionless. This was the first time Kakashi had talked to her since she's been put back into lock-down mode, and here she was showing the first sign of life. It was coincidence, she'd finally reached her breaking point, she decided.

Kakashi sighed, distracting her from her thoughts,"Tell you what, the Third said you can have a tour of a village and since I'm the best tracker on your case I'm to give you one, so why don't we..."

Joni was up, a large smile on her face,"Let me go change!"

Okay, Joni decided that she could be angry and aloof later, right now she was just happy she'd get a chance to see the village that she so desperately wanted to meet.

Whoever had previously lived in this small apartment (thought she assumed it was her Grandmother) had been almost the same size of Joni, just a few smaller. But with the workouts that Kutenai had developed for her- in order to get her energy out so she could get to sleep at a decent hour- she had lost a bit of weight and was now in a better and healthier condition. Which she was grateful for, considering the world that she had been brought into. Joni could tell that the clothes in the closet were a bit old fashion considering the clothing trends that she could see out of her sealed window, but they were in good condition condierring that they had been in the closet for who knows how long.

She'd done her best to air out the clothes a few times during her first few days. Kurenai had brought her a few pairs of shorts and a shirts and undergarments that fit, but Joni knew one outfit that could pass off as normal in this village.

It was a kimono-style blouse with short sleeves colored a nice pastel shade of lavender with green trim. It was held close with a obi a good three inches wide. Joni then pulled on a pair of black pants and slipped on her black sneakers. She paused, looking down at her arms.

She then moved to her mirror, fussed with her hair, before she finally gave up and threw it into a bun.

Kakashi was leaning against the wall in the living room when she returned, his face buried into a brightly colored book. Joni had scanned the title not long ago and found that it had been some sort of romance novel and immediately lost her interest, if it wasn't Shakespeare, she hardly cared about it. Those words had been some of the few that hadn't been restricted from her as she grew up back home, and the words were like poetry to her. Karachi hastily put the book up and smiled, or at least she assumed he did. His eyes was closed and he seemed relaxed as he said,"You look lovely!"

Joni blushed,"Th-thank you. I didn't want to look out of place."

Kakashi nodded,"Alright, let's go. You remember your cover?"

"I'm a journalist from the Capitol, my name is Joni Shimada, and the Homage is allowing me to write an article about the village and the upcoming Chunin exams."

"Good!"

**Thank You for reading- please vote and review! Merry Christmas!**


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